There was some confusion over the previous poll "What is your favorite stroke?", as the word "favorite" can be interpreted many different ways. For example, someone may think it's his/her favorite because it's most graceful and likes to watch this stroke the most, but he/she may not necessarily swim this stroke.
So this is the new poll.
Please only select the stroke you PERSONALLY train and spend most time swimming (and thinking about).
Parents
Former Member
I don't believe 100 yards is adequate for a warmup unless the intensity of your workout is pretty low. By warmup most of us mean some combination of swimming, pulling, kicking and drilling, and perhaps one or more "pre sets" before the main set. As for competition, I suppose a sprinter could swim a fast 50 with little or no warmup (because, as we all know, when the going gets tough, the sprinters get out), but it's unlikely he or she would post a personal best under those conditions. Having said that, my fastest 50 free was on a relay without a warmup and with a bit of a cold.
There are legitimate reasons why an adequate warmup is necessary. We are dealing with biological systems, and most physiological processes cannot respond instantaneously. For example, blood flow to skeletal muscles must increase significantly above baseline in order to achieve maximum performance. This does require some finite amount of time. It's not just a function of muscle memory. It's easy to test--swim a timed 200 after a minimal warmup, then try again (on a different day) after a more substantial warmup.
I don't believe 100 yards is adequate for a warmup unless the intensity of your workout is pretty low. By warmup most of us mean some combination of swimming, pulling, kicking and drilling, and perhaps one or more "pre sets" before the main set. As for competition, I suppose a sprinter could swim a fast 50 with little or no warmup (because, as we all know, when the going gets tough, the sprinters get out), but it's unlikely he or she would post a personal best under those conditions. Having said that, my fastest 50 free was on a relay without a warmup and with a bit of a cold.
There are legitimate reasons why an adequate warmup is necessary. We are dealing with biological systems, and most physiological processes cannot respond instantaneously. For example, blood flow to skeletal muscles must increase significantly above baseline in order to achieve maximum performance. This does require some finite amount of time. It's not just a function of muscle memory. It's easy to test--swim a timed 200 after a minimal warmup, then try again (on a different day) after a more substantial warmup.
